A man who allegedly threw large rocks onto two moving California Highway Patrol vehicles with officers inside, and then allegedly tossed a flaming bundle onto a parked patrol car that caught fire on the Hollywood (101) Freeway in downtown Los Angeles during a protest sparked by federal immigration raids, faces arraignment Thursday on a federal arson charge.
Adam Palermo, 39, of Los Angeles is charged in federal court with attempted arson of a vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Palermo is also charged in state court with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and single counts of arson and vandalism in connection with the June 8 crimes. Prosecutor said Palermo allegedly boasted on social media about what he had done.
Attempts to reach Palermo’s attorney were unsuccessful.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters at a June news conference that “an anonymous tip from Crime Stoppers is what helped law enforcement identify, locate and arrest Mr. Palermo on the state charges.”
Referring to a social media post allegedly from Palermo, the district attorney added: “Mr. Palermo has basically said that this was his most productive day, literally causing this damage, committing these crimes … It was not a productive day. It was a day of destruction, a day of violating the laws, and it will be eventually a day of accountability.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California told reporters at the press conference that Palermo allegedly wrote in a caption on social media that “I’m most proud of what I did today” out of all of the protests he had been involved in, which he wrote was well over 100.
CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris told reporters that Palermo’s alleged activities went beyond typical protest actions.
“These are serious felonies and direct threats to public safety,” Margaris said.
Along with the state charges that carry a maximum of nine years and eight months in state prison, Palermo is facing a federal prison sentence of between five and 20 years on the arson charge.
The defendant is currently in custody at the downtown federal lockup.
“He will not be doing any more protests for the … foreseeable future,” Essayli said.